The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: in the hills on October 31, 2013, 05:59:41 pm
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Sheep all fine this morning. Been out for the day and went to check sheep on our return.
Couldn't believe it .... neighbour has been cutting back shrubs in his garden and thrown rhododendron cuttings in a pile near the boundary fence. Some had fallen into the field. One wether (our favourite and as tame as a dog) was missing from the flock. Found him down by the brook standing tucked up and with greenish stains on his chin and bubbles coming from his mouth. Daughter and I tried to lead him to the shelter but he collapsed. Left daughter with him and rang vet who told us to get him straight there but chances weren't good. He has had 2 injections .... pain killer and something to keep his heart going.
Anything else we can do? Vet says keep fingers crossed. Says neighbour is liable. Liable ..... feel like throttling him :rant: .
He is now vomiting. :'( [size=78%] [/size]
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Caffeine in some form strong coffee / tea /red bull can help and large injections of multi vitamins , vomiting is a very good thing its all about how much has been cosumed, i get cases every year and most recover
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Thanks.
Farming neighbours just rung and says he remembers strong tea being given to cattle.
Should I just syringe it in? How much?
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We had similar last year. Strong tea with sugar; kaolin and morphine (if you can get it, we couldn't), charcoal - we got it from the chemist and ground it up in the strong tea.
Vet gave him a steroid, an anti-inflam, and antibiotic and a vitamin injection ( I think) - he said it really came down to how much the she.ep had eaten in relation to his bodyweight. All the jags were to make him more comfortable and address any underlying issues.
If you can try and keep him eating, it keeps the rumen going too. Our Dickie survived but we dosed him last thing at night and it was that awful feeling opening the byre door in the morning, fearful if what we'd find - and there he was, bright as abutton and looking for breakfast.
:fc: that your sheep is OK too. I think I'd be inviting the neighbour round to see him while he's sick though
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A mug full but very strong 10 or so tea bags left to stew, syringe will work but go slowly giving time to swollow
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Thanks.
Neighbour is going in for a hip replacement in the morning and can barely walk or he would be here helping ..... bless him. I'm on duty there from tomorrow ..... sheep, ponies and 16 collies.
Only a little Soay, Rosemary, and the greediest one I've got. Bet he has scoffed loads :( . Should have gone to the butcher a few weeks back but we are so fond of him that he is still here. I know ::) [size=78%] [/size]
Managed to get some charcoal (designed for horses with digestive upsets) so hoping that won't hurt him and sorting out the strong tea .... thanks shep53.
How much charcoal should I give. Just looked and no instructions. :thinking:
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Grind up to make a paste that you can push through the syringe thick as possible again a mug full, never tried it myself just tea
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He's dead.
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Real tough one this. I've had it in my own ewes. The trouble is eating one leaf is enough to make them look really bad but takes a decent handful to kill them. I tried coffee to no effect, as in they still died! Charcoal was the stuff. Vet poured about a litre into them and we managed to save a couple of them. Sadly we were to late for the other 8! Pain killer and muscle relaxant was good as well.
Strange that the sheep would eat the stuff because it's really bitter for them. They usually only eat it when there is snow on the ground and it is the only greenery available and even then only if they are really very hungry.
All the best with them, stick the vets bill through the door I think!
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:hug: so sorry :bouquet:
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Oh lover, so sorry :gloomy: . How dreadful for the poor mite and for you. Take this up with that stupid bloody neighbour. It won't bring him back but they should know how much pain they've caused.
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ah, no. So sorry :bouquet:
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So sorry to read about you sheep :bouquet:
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So sorry to hear this :bouquet: :'(
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Thank you to those that posted with advice and for the sorries. Much appreciated. Must have consumed too much I guess. Dead in the shelter when we went down to give the tea and charcoal. The vet said the chances weren't good.
Checked the others til turned midnight. Well, as best we could in the dark. Didn't sleep much last night, as the vet said there was a chance they maybe affected later. All seem okay this morning, so :fc: . They are back in with the lambs now so not in the affected paddock. Will sort that today.
Usually I walk through that field about 4 times a day with the dogs so would have spotted it. The one day I'm out ......... :( . Probably would have had a better end if I had sent him on his way. :'(
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In the Hills; Sad end after a thoughtless act. As suggested I’d have a ‘word’ with your neighbour, you don’t want a repeat.
Others; I understand why charcoal but why strong Tea, is it the stimulant effect?
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So sorry to hear about this. :( :bouquet:
Others; I understand why charcoal but why strong Tea, is it the stimulant effect?
I think it's an astringent which can help reduce the sheep's ability to absorb the toxins?
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Another 4 sheep seem to be affected. OH been checking and difficult to tell how bad they are because it's throwing it down and they are not letting us get close to them and are naturally standing in the hedges out of the rain but they look odd. Bit wobbly at times, slightly glazed look, and think a couple may have clear fluid around mouths. They are on their legs and not responding as they normally would to the bucket. Managed to sneak up on one and have drenched with tea and charcoal .... can't get the others.
Have called vet. He is advising against injections or treatment but says he will put up some liquid life aid. Odd ..... got the feeling that he didn't think it was worth treating the wether yesterday .... though he did see him when I explained we only had a small flock. Maybe for proper farmers the low chance of recovery isn't worth the cost/stress on the animal.
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Can you get them in, under cover, in a shelter or something, and treat them all? I would imagine that the sooner you treat them the more chance they will have? I personally wouldn't rely on the vet, I'd do as much as I can myself and anything extra the vet can add is a bonus.
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Tried several times. Can't even get close enough to most of them to get a good look. Normally come to the bucket no trouble .... it's the older ewes and not lambs so they are relatively easy to handle ... but they just seem real skittish. Strange look in their eyes. Land is saturated and on steep slope .... seems impossible. 3 of us been trying. Scared to chase them around too much .... might I do more harm than good? Leaving them to settle and going to try again.
Just feel useless. :'( Poor things.
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Agree about not chasing them around too much - I suspect if they were feeling really poorly they would be easy to catch as wouldn't want to run far (like the wether you were able to catch hold of very easily). I would leave them for a bit and let them settle down again - just keep an eye on them to ensure they don't rapidly go downhill. :fc: for you all.
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They look odd. Bit wobbly at times, slightly glazed look, and think a couple may have clear fluid around mouths. They are on their legs and not responding as they normally would to the bucket.
Maybe they didn't eat as much as the other one. I recognize those symptoms - I've had a couple of instances when one has been unable to stand, looked totally spaced out and had some dribble round the mouth. I put them in a quiet corner of the garden where I could keep an eye on them and they were back on their feet next day.
I've had the cold tea remedy suggested to me since it last happened but haven't had the need to try it (yet).
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Really sorry to hear this, fingers crossed for the others. I have heard about this but never experienced it, hope not to but advice on here is very helpful as always.
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So sorry for you :hug: we had this happen a couple of years ago to a north ronaldsay we had only had for a week. Vet said immediately she was likely to die and although we did everything as has been said already, she died. It was a horrible death and was very very stressful to us. If something like this happened again I would be most likely to have it shot as even if they do live they can have problems later in life stemming from it.
Terrible situation for you with the neighbour too, these things unfortunately, happen. Try not to make too much of it, sure the neighbour will be devastated. :bouquet:
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Im so sorry, this must be so horrible for you :hug:
I agree that neighbour can't be demonised esp if he is under medical stress, as long as he understands what the consequences of his mistake were, so that it doesnt happen again and he spreads the word. Financial compensation is a tricky one, he should pay for replacements in all fairness.
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my mother had a couple of goats that died this way. through eating rhodedendrons, A horrible death, they died screaming, she managed to save some by making them sick, i have forgotton what she used, but even those that lived were never quite the same after.
dreadful thing to happen to you. my sympathies.
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Oh, what an awful thing to have happened. :fc: for the others
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Torrential rain this afternoon. The ewes were in the field shelter and 2 worst affected were on their own in the covered chicken run. Managed somehow to sneak round the back and lock both lots in. Run is big so room to block ewes in with hurdles and open run door for chickens. We have followed vets instructions for dosing with life aid and also treated worst affected with tea and charcoal mix. Vet gave us a big syringe but had a real job getting it down them ...... spluttering and vomiting green muck. Thought we would lose one ewe. Lying motionless, no attempt to move. Sat stroking her a while and just lay with her head on my lap. Last dosing session she is on her feet and seen her nibbling hay. They have all actively swallowed the dose this time rather than sicking it all over us ....seemed to want it almost. They look more comfortable. Scared to hope.
Neighbour is least thing on my mind at the moment. Told him and he immediately started yelling that it wasn't his fault. Quite aggressive and no word of a sorry. He has asked loads of times if he could throw green stuff into the field and I have repeatedly told him no as some garden plants are poisonous. Always argues that sheep can eat anything. Not an easy man. Another neighbour was there on one occasion and actually told him that rhododendron was deadly and that he had been told that by the local farmer. So forgive me, I try to always see the good in people and have done this man many favours but at the moment I have no sympathy for him only the suffering of my sheep. If he is devastated he shows none of it.
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:( well done your giving your best shot :fc:
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So sorry to read about your boy, I hope the rest of them pull thru. when I live with my parents I had goats, a neighbour did the same thing, my poor girl was vomiting stuff up, all over the walls, I've never seen an animal go downhill so quick, had the vet, kept checking her thru the night, had next day off work, luckily she survived, don't remember any screaming.
I think I'd read someting about a high dose of vit C helped?
Just been looking at goat veterinary book. I presume they would be similar to goats in this instance?.
goats vomit, salivate, become very depressed. can be ill for several days and develop laboured breathing. Vitamins can be useful to speed up detoxification. Vet may prescribe penicillin injection because of poisons affect on digestive system.
Good Luck
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If it's any help in the dosing issue, I measure what is required in a syringe and mark the equivalent on a turkey baster and use it as you can get it further to the back of their mouths.
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3 ewes looking much better .... on their feet, nibbling at food and starting to look for escape routes from the shelters. Eyes look clearer and reactions more normal. Eating hay, coarse mix and branches that we picked for them. Think we will let them into the field later today if they continue to look okay.
The ewe that we thought we would lose yesterday looked not too bad first thing but now seems to be going downhill quite fast. Hardly able to stand. Lifting her and she is urinating but then straight back down. Still drenching with life aid and strong sugary tea in between. Picked her everything I can think of to get her to eat but think she looks too weak to bother. She is the mum of the favourite wether that we lost on Thursday evening :'( .
Anything else we can do?
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A big thanks to all of you that have supported us. I suppose it's part of keeping sheep but a really horrible time. We are exhausted with watching them in such distress.
We have spoken to the vet. He feels that there is little chance of our ewe recovering and will put her to sleep for us :'( :'( :'( . OH dealing with that now. Don't want to see her suffer any more. It seems cruel to continue with the drench. She has squealed in pain as I have handled her and looks to me as though she has given up.
Vet feels that if they are now eating the others should recover.
Thanks
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:fc: :hug:
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If something is in pain, then it is kinder to let them go peacefully and you have done the right thing :hug: .
How you deal with the stupid neighbour is a difficult one >:( . Short term solution may not be the same as the long term :-\
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So sorry to hear of your distress. You have done everything humanly and humanely possible. Getting emotionally involved with animals is one of the pleasures - and price we pay - of looking after them. Be kind to yourselves, the horrendous weather hasn't helped and I hope that you feel the warmth and healing power of some winter sunshine very soon
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So sorry to hear of all of your troubles - you have certainly done the best for your sheep. Well done. My heart goes out to you
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ith - so sorry for this horrible time for you :bouquet: :bouquet: - you have done your best that's all any of us can do. :bouquet: :bouquet:
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So sorry to hear you've been through such a traumatic time. Hope things get easier soon, and thanks for sharing, so others can benefit from your experiences. Liz x